Let The Ocean Take Me
by Kenna Monster
Summary: After the battle in Sokovia the team is left scrambling to save one of their own, no matter the cost.
1. Chapter 1

**[A/N : After watching Age of Ultron I couldn't leave Pietro dead. I know it's an overkilled idea but I wanted to take a different approach that ties into Civil War. Enjoy!]**

Bright lights.

Snatches of voices.

 _"His temp is spiking again."_

 _"We need to cool him down."_

Suddenly icy cold sensation covered his body and drowned out the heat. Pietro relaxed, slipping away.

* * *

Wanda's voice, quiet and soothing and _there._ He always knew when she was worried. It was the subtle shift in her tone, the way she only wanted to talk of anything but the immediate threat. It made him wonder where he was and how bad he was injured, if she was lying to him so hard. But when he tried to open his eyes nothing happened and the effort made him so weary he allowed the darkness to take him again.

* * *

 _"You sure he's safe to move?"_

 _"His stats are improving and he should be able to be taken out of the chamber soon. We can reevaluate him after we get him to the tower, but I don't see why it wouldn't be a good idea to get him out of here for his recuperation. Give him some space to heal without doctors poking and prodding."_

 _"I'll talk to Tony."_

The sound of a door closing, then a deep sigh.

 _"I swear you're gonna give me an ulcer."_

Even with his eyes closed Pietro knew Clint's exasperated voice. It was the voice that had been by his side every time he awoke for the past however long he'd been there. He had become a constant since Wanda left. He remembered her telling him she had to leave for a little while but she'd be right back. It was hard to tell how long ago that was. Time didn't matter in his new world.

 _"The others are worried too. You got pretty banged up, but the chamber seems to be helping. At least it's kept you stable for the most part."_

Pietro turned his head towards Clint, fighting against his body. He just wanted to open his eyes. But even as Clint was calling his name sleep enveloped him.

* * *

 _"How is he?"_

 _"Clint says he moved a little earlier. Seems to be holding steady after we got him here."_

New voices, both male.

 _"I'm amazed Pepper was able to convince Clint to go get some rest. He's really attached to the kid."_

 _"Aren't we all?"_

A long pause of silence, where Pietro silently willed his body to respond. Slowly his eyelids opened, each held down by a ton of bricks. The sudden piercing lights assaulting his eyes made him blink, squinting in the brightness.

He groaned, throat full of sandpaper. He tried swallowing but it just made the burning worse.

"Hey!" Tony exclaimed, rushing to his side. "How do you feel?" Even after Pietro and Wanda had agreed the billionaire wasn't to blame for the loss of their parents it still sent a thrill of electricity running up his spine to see the man up close.

"Thirsty," Pietro croaked. Steve grabbed a nearby cup of water and helped him take a few sips.

"Easy," Steve murmured as Pietro began coughing weakly.

"Wanda?" Pietro asked.

"I'll go call her," Tony volunteered, rushing from the room.

"Easy, slow breaths," Steve instructed as Pietro coughed again, his chest aching in a deep and painfulway that made breathing hard. Even talking, or staying awake for that matter, became a drain on his limited resources. Pietro could feel himself growing weaker when the door slammed open and Clint rushed in with Tony on his heels.

"Hey kid," Clint said, looking haggard but glad to see him finally awake. Pietro blinked, his eyelids growing heavier. The archer noticed his exhaustion and smiled.

"You look like crap."

Steve chuckled. Pietro normally would've fired back some witty retort but he couldn't muster the energy to try. He still didn't know exactly where he was or how much time had passed since the battle in Sokovia and he didn't care.

"I can't...I can't feel my legs."

The sympathetic expressions told him they weren't surprised. Which only made him panic more.

"Clint," Steve said, nodding his head towards the heart monitor on the wall which had begun to beep erratically.

Clint turned to Pietro, all business. "Kid, I need you to calm down. Your heart rate is too fast even for you."

Pietro tried to calm his racing pulse but nothing seemed to help. He was gripped tightly by panic and realized as he stared wide eyed up at Clint and Steve that the one person who could help was miles away.

Clint jumped forward, hoping an explanation would help. "When Ultron shot you, we weren't sure if you'd even survive long enough to get back to the helicarrier. Your heart kept stopping. We managed to get you into Ultron's chamber then with some help from your sister and Vision we finally got you stabilized."

"You were in the chamber for a little over a month then we brought you here, to Stark Tower, so you'd have a place to heal in private rather than the Avenger's training camp," Steve added.

"But my back?" Pietro asked.

"Several of the bullets hit your spine. You aren't fully healed yet, that'll take time," Tony replied. He paused. "But you need to be aware that there's the possibility you will never fully heal from this."

"What does that mean?" Pietro demanded, choking on the words. He knew, but the possibility of paralysis was too daunting to say out loud himself.

"You could be paralyzed," said Clint softly.

Pietro struggled to sit up, pushing Clint away from him. Part of him knew he was being irrational, that he should stay calm and let his body heal, but he had to see he damage for himself.

He ripped back the blankets to expose his heavily bandaged legs, both of which were in metal splints. He tried moving them but nothing happened. That's when the full realization hit him as Steve tried to make him lie back down.

Pietro shoved him away, unconcerned as the super soldier slid back a few inches. Tony snapped into attention, grabbing a vial from the table. Pietro tried to see what it was but Clint was trying to hold him steady then Steve was grabbing his arm and together they wrestled him back down onto the bed.

"Hold him!"

"Pietro, calm down!"

"We're trying to help!"

Pietro ignored their pleas, fighting as hard as he could to keep the syringe away from him. He couldn't run even if he wanted to, and the bitterness of his own body's betrayal stung more than the needle prick in his arm. A weightlessness accompanied the fast acting sedative and he slumped sideways, all fight vanishing.

"Pietro?" Clint asked, leaning over him. Steve was still holding his arm as if afraid he might bolt at any moment.

"You should've let me die," Pietro whispered, the anger burning his throat. He had only been trapped twice before in his life and he'd vowed never to let it happen again. Now he was a prisoner in his own body.

"What?" Clint asked.

"You should've let me die!" Pietro screamed.


	2. Chapter 2

**[A/N : Here's the beginning of the crossover with my other story Stubborn Fool. It'll make more sense if you read that first.]**

 _Wanda was_ _there, dark hair swirling around her shoulders and bright eyes searching his face. She was like an avenging angel wreathed in red light and crackling energy._

 _"I'm here," said Wanda, closing the distance between them so fast he vaguely wondered if she had some of his ability. She hugged him tightly, the smell of sunlight and tangy metal filling his nose. He ignored the pain her contact brought and relished in the moment._

 _Nothing else mattered but the two of them. And as he fought against the exhaustion trying to pull him away from her Wanda straightened up, smiling at him._

 _"Rest. I'll stay with you."_

 _"M'not tired," Pietro lied, knowing she'd see through it in an instant. Naturally, Wanda climbed onto his bed and curled up beside him._

 _"Sleep," she murmured. Pietro smiled to himself. He was amazed at how much he had missed her._

 _Suddenly the door slammed open and the Avengers were crowded in the doorway, countless faces all staring at them. Pietro looked at Wanda as she sat up._

 _"I have to go," she explained._

 _"No, don't go. Stay with me. Please," Pietro begged._

 _Wanda shook her head, standing up and walking towards the door. "They're my team, my family now. They need me. You'll be fine on your own." She was quickly absorbed into the crowd, disappearing from view._

 _"No, Wanda, wait!"_

 _"Wanda!"_

"Wanda!"

Pietro forcefully jerked himself out of the nightmare. The room looked the same as usual, medical equipment lining the walls and monitors keeping track of his condition. He spotted a tray sitting on the nearby table and lifted the lid, surprised to see a bowl of steaming soup and sandwich inside.

"Any change?"

"No."

The words were whispered quietly in the hall but apparently being shot hadn't affected his advanced hearing. Strucker would be pleased to learn he could do more than just run.

 _Used to._

Pietro threw the tray. It hit the wall then crashed to the floor leaving a splattered trail of soup.

His thoughts began to jumble and swirl together amid the howling storm raging inside him. He ripped the leads off his chest and the IV from his arm, unable to stay stuck in that goddamn bed another second with all their looks of pity and drugs to knock him out. He would crawl before he allowed them to keep him in that room any longer.

"Pietro!"

Her voice, the voice he knew better than his own. Slowly Pietro turned to gaze at the door where Wanda stood just like in his dream, her hair crackling from the red energy glowing in her hands.

"I'm here," she said softly, taking delicate steps into the room. Wanda never did anything delicate. She was all power and chaos. Something was wrong.

Her eyes never left his. "Just relax."

That's when it clicked. She was trying to keep him under control. It was something she hadn't had to do since they were first given powers. Back then, his entire body rebelled against him and was constantly fighting to move faster faster faster. Only Wanda could calm him down and he in turn was the only one who could pull her from the nightmares.

"What are you doing here?" Pietro asked, tearing his gaze away from her before she fully cooled the fire in his chest. He wanted to feel the burn. It reminded him he was still alive.

"I called her," Clint replied as he walked into the room, turning off the monitors. "We're worried about you."

Clint understood he was unhappy Wanda had left him, though he'd been quick to defend her. Something about needing to stay active before she blew up the tower, and making Steve nervous with all her pent up anxiety. It made sense.

Which was why it only made him feel worse.

"I'm fine," spat Pietro said. He could feel all his joy at seeing his sister deflate.

Clint crossed his arms. "Is that why you threw your food?" Pietro glared at him.

"It's so good to see you," Wanda smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been paralyzed."

"Pietro..." Wanda began, looking hurt. He hated how that look made him want to protect her even when he was so angry.

"Before you bite our heads off, we've got something to show you," Clint said. He stepped forward holding a pair of metallic braces. "Tony made them. The injury to your spine is nearly healed but your legs are still weak and need more time. These are high density alloy and should help get you back on your feet."

"Back on my feet?" Pietro scoffed. It had to be a joke. He could hardly imagine walking around with his legs encased in metal, let alone running in them. Then the realization that they weren't built to handle his speed hit him like a punch. The braces were designed to help him walk not run. If his body didn't heal he'd never run again.

"I know this isn't what you want to hear but at least this way we can get you vertical and out of bed. It might even help with the healing," Clint said. He set the braces down on the bed.

"Get out."

"Pietro!" Wanda's voice nearly made him glance at her but he knew she'd have the sad look of a kicked puppy and it would break his resolve so he glared at the wall.

"Get. Out," he growled. He knew he was being unfair and harsh but he couldn't have his sister see how bad he was truly hurt. He was supposed to be the strong one.

"Come on," Clint murmured. Pietro waited until he heard the door click shut before daring to look up. The braces were still laying on the bed.

* * *

"I've never seen him so angry before," Wanda said, staring out the window at the bustling city below.

Clint huffed. "He just needs time."

"Time?" demanded Wanda as she turned to face him and the other team members assembled in the conference room. "My brother is lucky to be alive but everyone seems too caught up in the idea of what he can offer this team. He isn't an Avenger."

"You can't be serious," Clint argued. "He earned his place on this team just like you did."

"We're all focused on his rehabilitation," Steve promised.

"He technically isn't a member," Vision said.

"Not helping!" snapped Clint. He looked at Wanda. "He's your brother, can you really consider sending him away just to protect him?"

"Yes!" Wanda replied.

"I agree with Wanda," said Natasha. "He's untrained, brash and ruthless. Even if he miraculously recovers his full speed he's not a hero.

"We have to let him decide that for himself," Steve said.

"The point is, if someone isn't ready to be a hero we can't force them," Tony said. "Though I don't like the idea of superpowered people just walking around."

"What are you suggesting, a registry?" Steve asked.

Tony shrugged.

"I wanted to let you know the braces work."

Everyone whirled around, shocked to see Pietro standing in the doorway. His legs were encased in the braces which reached from ankles to mid thigh and shone with a metallic sheen.

"You shouldn't be walking yet," Wanda admonished, taking a few steps towards him.

Pietro held up his hand stopping her. "Don't worry about me, you have a world to save. I'm sure being a hero is important. Then again, I guess I wouldn't know."

"The offer is still there if you want to become part of Avengers," Clint said.

Pietro shook his head. "I'm not the one you want, not really. You saved me so you could convince my sister to join. I'm an afterthought."

"No, that's not..." Wanda began, trying to formulate her response through the shock. How someone so gifted could ever see himself as an afterthought rocked her.

"Strucker claimed he wanted to liberate our country so he made us freaks. Ultron promised us vengeance then he killed me. What makes the Avengers any different?" Pietro asked, looking around at those gathered before him.

"You nearly died saving me. I won't forget that and neither will the rest of this team. We'll stand between anyone who wants to hurt you," Clint promised.

"You brought me back when I was fine dying for you!" Pietro shouted at him. "Now I can't tell what's real and my sister left me to go be a hero! Nothing makes sense anymore and everything hurts and...!"

Pietro groaned, curling forward as his body screamed at him to rest. Steve stepped forward but he shoved him away.

"I'm fine," he said, forcing himself upright. "I just wanted to let you all know before I left."

"Where are you going?" Wanda asked.

"Anywhere I don't have to be a hero," Pietro replied. He didn't wait for Wanda or the others to respond, turning and limping from the room. He heard his sister call his name but his anger fueled him blindly onward until he was slamming into a door and out into brilliant sunlight.

He couldn't see. Squinting, he crashed into the railing and realized he must be on a balcony far above the city. Everything looked small and insignificant from up so high.

"Excuse me, do you know where I could find Tony stark?" A tall brunette woman asked as she walked down the steps from the helipad, a quinjet behind her.


	3. Chapter 3

**[A/N : I hope everyone enjoys! And as usual, reviews are always appreciated.]**

Pietro wasn't sure what he'd been expecting but as he walked down the quinjet ramp into a small, empty hangar he had a brief moment of doubt. Maybe going behind the Avenger's backs was a bad idea.

"This way," Bobbi said as she pushed the chamber out after him. Pietro tried not to shiver as it passed. He had vague shadowy memories of his time spent healing and couldn't shake the aversion he felt towards it.

His legs were already getting stronger but even with the braces on he still had to take it slow. He just wished they weren't so metallic and _obvious_. Bobbi didn't seem to mind the pace as they walked down a semi-lit hallway, stopping in front of what appeared to be the medical center. Thankfully no one was on duty, running some sort of skeleton crew according to Bobbi which meant they had a small window.

"That's him," she whispered as they walked in, heading towards the corner where a bed was surrounded by medical equipment. The man lying there looked so close to death Pietro panicked for a moment thinking they were too late. Then the ventilator whooshed and his chest inflated with air.

"We're going to need help," Pietro said. There was no way the two of them could lift the man into the chamber without further injuring him.

"I know," Bobbi said, turning as a tall dark man walked in. He looked at Pietro with eyebrows raised before going to Bobbi.

"Are you sure this'll work?" He asked.

"Absolutely," Bobbi replied, glancing at Pietro's legs. "Mack, this is Pietro. He's alive because of the chamber."

"Once I plug it in someone's going to notice the massive power drain. We should get him inside before that happens," Pietro urged. Bobbi and Mack began shutting off the machines the man was connected to then Bobbi tipped his chin back to remove the ventilator, replacing it with an oxygen mask. Pietro plugged in the chamber and pushed open the lid. A faint memory surfaced of him floating in the liquid while Clint and the others stood over him.

Pietro shook his head, dispelling the thought. Bobbi and Mack carefully lifted the man, Mack taking most of the weight, and gently deposited him into the chamber. The liquid rose around him, covering most of his body up to his chest. Pietro closed the lid and plugged it in. The three of them stood back as the chamber began to glow faintly while the lights around them dimmed.

"Come on Hunter," Bobbi murmured. They watched as the monitor on the chamber tracked his vitals, which steadily began improving.

"It's working," Mack smiled.

The door slammed open behind them and all three whirled around.

"What the hell is going on?"

* * *

"I'm going to ask you one last time, who do you work for?"

Pietro looked up at the woman standing in front of him, his hands handcuffed together in his lap. He smirked. "Wouldn't you like to know."

The woman tensed, her dark eyes surveying him. He knew he was pushing his luck tormenting her with his lack of forthcoming information but he had a strange feeling she wouldn't believe him even if he told her the truth.

Suddenly the door to his cell opened and a man in a dark suit walked in. He signalled the woman and she left, slamming the door behind her.

"I'm Director Coulson. Thought you might want to talk," the man said, coming to stand in front of Pietro.

"Why's that?" Pietro asked.

"The man you put into that chamber is alive because of you. An enemy to SHIELD wouldn't save someone like that."

Pietro shrugged. "I'm glad he's doing better."

Coulson watched him as if he'd been expecting a different reaction. "Agent Morse tells us we can trust you. But she's refusing to tell us your involvement with Stark, which makes this situation complicated."

Pietro leaned back against the wall. "I figured as much."

"We don't want to keep a possible ally in a cell, but we need more information before we just blindly trust you," said Coulson.

"I'm not here to join your team, I just need someplace safe to hide out for a while," Pietro explained.

"I understand. But we need to be cautious. Does Stark know you're here?" Coulson asked.

Pietro shook his head. "I hope not. I don't want him or the others to find me."

"Others?"

Pietro opened his mouth to reply when there was a loud crash. Dust fell from the roof as the whole building seemed to shake. An alarm began blaring.

"Is this normal?"

"Stay here!" Coulson ordered, quickly leaving the cell. Pietro rose to his feet and waited, listening as more crashes could be heard. Suddenly everything was thrown sideways as he was slammed against the back wall. The air was punched from his lungs leaving him gasping on the floor. He could see three blurry figures emerge from the dust and rubble.

"Dammit kid," Tony grumbled, stepping forward and shoving the desk away to give Steve and Clint more space to rush into the cell. They were asking him questions and checking for injuries, but Pietro couldn't answer let alone breathe.

As everything began to go black he heard Clint say, "Wanda's going to kill us."

* * *

Coming back from unconsciousness was becoming a normal habit that Pietro loathed. Slowly the world around him came into focus as he blinked open his eyes, the telltale frown on Clint's face evident of how much trouble he was in.

"We have to stop meeting like this," he grumbled. Pietro glanced around as he pushed himself into a sitting position, surprised to see he was lying on a gurney in the back of the quinjet. The ramp was down and he could see Tony and Steve talking to Coulson.

"What happened?" He asked.

Clint scowled. "Someone thought it was a good idea to donate the chamber to strangers."

Pietro sighed. "Not strangers, SHIELD."

"We know," Steve said as he walked up the ramp towards them. "Tony's still talking to Coulson."

"I didn't need to be saved," Pietro said. "I was trying to make a trade."

"A trade? For what?" Steve asked.

"I bring the chamber, they offer me a safe place to heal," Pietro replied.

"What's wrong with the Tower?" Clint demanded.

"You mean the place I'm not wanted?" Pietro snapped, shoving himself to his feet. "No one wants me on the team. I can't go back."

"Wanda's worried about you," Steve said.

"She left me!" Pietro shouted, clenching his fists at his sides. "She doesn't care about me! She's got the team now!"

"Pietro, that's not true!" Clint argued.

"Ahem..." Tony cleared his throat, abruptly ending the argument. Coulson stood behind him looking distinctly uncomfortable.

"Coulson's willing to let the kid stay here and rest, and when he's ready we can take him to the base," Tony explained.

"Not a kid," Pietro argued, earning him a few smirks.

"Thanks for this Coulson," said Steve, watching as Clint and Pietro walked past him into the hangar.

Coulson smiled. "I'm glad to help."

"We owe you," Clint added. He pulled Pietro away from the others, his face set.

"This isn't permanent, just until things cool down," he said. Pietro shrugged.

"You have better things to do than worry about me. Go find the big green guy and the one with the silver-arm. I'll be fine."

"Time changes everything," Clint said with sudden seriousness. "Wanda will always need you, no matter where she is. You're her brother and nothing will change that."

Before Pietro had a chance to respond Clint tugged him into a tight hug. "Behave," he murmured. "No running until you're fully healed. And listen to Coulson."

"Yes sir," Pietro teased. Clint punched him on the shoulder as they separated.

"One of us will be checking up on him," Tony promised, looking at Coulson who nodded.

"Call if you need anything," said Steve.

Pietro tried to hide how overwhelmed he felt at their displays of affection. He hadn't expected them to all care, let alone openly show it.

"See you soon," Clint said as he walked back onto the quinjet. Tony followed and Pietro watched as the ramp closed and his teammates lifted off, leaving the hangar in a burst of hot air.

"I'll introduce you to the others."

* * *

Over the next few days Pietro slowly settled into life at the base. Coulson gave him unlimited access to the kitchen after he nearly passed out from low glucose. Thankfully Simmons remedied the situation, and everyone got used to the amount of food he was constantly eating.

Fitz tinkered with the braces and made a few small adjustments to aid in their capabilities, and Pietro repaid him by regaling stories of life at Stark Tower.

May kept her distance, always observing, but he was used to it so Pietro tried to not let it bother him.

Mack and Bobbi spent most of their time in the med lab waiting for Hunter to finish his healing process in the chamber, but when they weren't there they would bring Pietro food. He grew accustomed to their hovering.

Skye was the most interesting. She asked a lot of questions about what he and Wanda had gone through with Strucker's experiments and with each answer only seemed to grow more interested. When Pietro asked about her involvement with the Inhumans he learned just how vast the world truly was with all the gifted individuals out there. She made him feel less like a freak.

Slowly life started to settle into a rhythm, and Pietro found himself growing more attached to the team every day.

But at night, as he lay in his bunk, he thought about Wanda.

He wasn't technically mad at her. Just deeply hurt. Learning how quickly she had moved on with her life without him was hard to bear. Because he knew he'd never leave her side no matter how long it took for her to heal. That was the true betrayal. He would stop living his life for her but she would never do the same.

So he didn't answer when she called. He didn't reply to her texts or emails. Ever since he had awoken in the hospital without her there he'd been forced to realize his twin didn't need him like he needed her. She had the Avengers and he was left on the outside looking in.

So he made himself part of a new team. A new family.


End file.
